Utah Mammoth vs. Devils Preview: Can New Jersey Turn Shots Into Goals?

New Jersey’s biggest question against Utah is what it can do with its chances. The Devils put 36 shots on net in Saturday’s 6-0 loss to the Islanders and still came away empty. Our projections give New Jersey a modest shot advantage again Tuesday, but our team grades favor the Mammoth. That makes this an interesting test of whether the Devils can turn pressure into enough goals to justify their favorite’s price.

There was more to the shutout than the score

In the October 3 loss, Ilya Sorokin stopped all 36 New Jersey shots. The Devils also allowed three goals in the second period before the game got further away in the third. Getting pucks on net wasn’t enough; they need a better result at both ends against Utah.

The Mammoth are coming off their own loss, 4-2 to the Rangers on October 4. That game was tied entering the third period, and New York’s final goal went into an empty net. Nick Schmaltz scored on a rebound from Clayton Keller’s shot. Utah stayed competitive deep into the game, but couldn’t keep the Rangers from pulling ahead.

A shot edge, but not a clear overall edge

Our shot projections put New Jersey at roughly 30 shots and Utah at 28. That’s a plausible route for the Devils: create more opportunities and get more out of them than they did Saturday. It’s also a fairly small gap, leaving plenty of room for Utah to compete without needing to match New Jersey shot for shot.

Our grades provide the counterweight. Utah earns a B overall, with a B for its attack and B+ defensively. New Jersey receives a B- overall, with a C for its attack and B defensively. The Mammoth’s stronger evaluations make the Devils’ projected shot advantage less convincing as a reason, by itself, to favor the home team.

What the moneyline asks of New Jersey

The current moneyline prices at DraftKings have New Jersey at -130 and Utah at +110. In everyday terms, a $130 wager on the Devils would earn $100 in profit if they win, while a $100 wager on Utah would earn $110 in profit. New Jersey is the favorite, but the price doesn’t suggest a one-sided matchup.

The strongest case for the Devils is shot volume: they generated plenty of it Saturday, and our projections give them a small edge here. Utah’s stronger team grades are the main counterweight, especially the gap between the attacks. For New Jersey, the deciding test is whether that extra volume translates into goals while it limits what comes back the other way. A modest shot advantage won’t do much good if the Mammoth make more of their opportunities.

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